Water Behaviour: Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Differences
How water reacts on a vehicle's paintwork is definitely one of the hottest topic in the automotive detailing world. To the untrained eye, it might look the same because both water behaviours do have the "water repellency" effect.
However, there are two main kinds of water behaviour that automotive paint protection provides: Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic. How different are they? To simplify it, hydrophobic allows water to bead into a sphere of water droplets while hydrophilic allow water to sheet off the surface instead of beading into a sphere of water.
However, there are two main kinds of water behaviour that automotive paint protection provides: Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic. How different are they? To simplify it, hydrophobic allows water to bead into a sphere of water droplets while hydrophilic allow water to sheet off the surface instead of beading into a sphere of water.
We consider hydrophobic if the contact angle of 90 degrees of above. Anything less than 90 degrees, we consider it as hydrophilic.
Hydrophobic Water Behaviour
Hydrophobic types of paint protection has been very popular and most paint protection coatings on the market promotes hydrophobic water behaviour.
Here's an example of how hydrophobic coating reacts to water:
Here's an example of how hydrophobic coating reacts to water:
The pros of a hydrophobic types of paint protection is that they promote a strong self-cleaning effect, dirt and grime are less likely to stick on to the coated surface and it makes washing the car a lot easier.
However, there a couple of cons of hydrophobic coatings. If they are not dried properly after a car wash, or rain, it will form hard water spots from the minerals build up on the water droplets and these water spots can be a problem for certain areas that rains often.
Here's a video example of hydrophobic coating water behaviour:
Video courtesy to Project Detail in Sydney.
However, there a couple of cons of hydrophobic coatings. If they are not dried properly after a car wash, or rain, it will form hard water spots from the minerals build up on the water droplets and these water spots can be a problem for certain areas that rains often.
Here's a video example of hydrophobic coating water behaviour:
Video courtesy to Project Detail in Sydney.
Hydrophilic Water Behaviour
Hydrophilic is the opposite of Hydrophobic. Hydrophobic simply means that the surface is "afraid" of water and hydrophilic simply means that surface "loves" the water, therefore instead of water repelling the surface, it sheets off.
Here's an example of how hydrophilic coating reacts to water:
Here's an example of how hydrophilic coating reacts to water:
Although hydrophilic types of paint protection promotes less self-cleaning effect, it eliminates the chances of water spots forming on to the surface from improper drying technique or rain due to its nature of sheeting off the surface instead of forming into a bead and staying on a surface.
Comparing hydrophobic and hydrophilic, hydrophobic promotes more self-cleaning effect and hydrophilic promotes ease of maintenance and drying.
Here's a photo of the differences between the two, 50/50 on a bonnet of a BMW
Comparing hydrophobic and hydrophilic, hydrophobic promotes more self-cleaning effect and hydrophilic promotes ease of maintenance and drying.
Here's a photo of the differences between the two, 50/50 on a bonnet of a BMW
Hydrophobic on the left, hydrophilic on the right
We hope to provide you with more understanding of the differences between hydrophobic and hydrophilic types of paint protection. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding.
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